Testing the Bonds
by Baka-heichou
Summary: Hope skipped grades and transferred into an elite academy. Everyday has a new drama, involving him in it. He thought that he'll nevet fit in. Untill this dense, clumsy girl Vanille proved him wrong. And maybe they share the same past... (Hope/Vanille)
1. School of hell?

**Author's note: **his is my first story in Fanfiction world! I hope you enjoy this stlry ^-^ This story is focused on my favorite pairing, Hope/Vanille, but there's also Snow/Serah and MAYBE Hope /Lightning (I don't have any gurantees on this couple though, I don't ship it. ) This story kinda takes place in Cocoon's one of the greatest academy. Hope skipped grades and move to a new school (Aaand I don't know what I should call it -_-)

I'm sorry if there's grammar mistakes here, English are my second language ^-^" Critiques and Advices are requested!

Enjoy!

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_"Hope..."_

_It was a breezing in a field of beautiful flowers. The soft wind blew the flowers, making a nice scent of flowers. It was a beautiful scene that takes time in the morning. There stands two children gazing each other. The girl parted her shiny hair behind her ears and make this face full of doubt. "Hey... This isn't our last time seeing each other... Aren't we?" Hope shooked his head, "No it isn't. I'm very sure we'll meet again soon, trust me." That word made the little maiden smiled a bit._

_"I'm glad met you."_

* * *

"Hope?" Her mother, Nora swinged her hand up and down in front of his face. "Are you okay?"

Hooe snapped out of it. He soon covered it with a smile, "I'm okay mother, I was just nervous of going to a new school, i don't know if i can adapt there or not..." But her mother just chukled and rubbed his silver hair, "Oh dear, There is nothing to be nervous about, all you need to do is to study hard and make us proud!" Hope smiled again, "Yeah..."

But that's not the reason. She was wondering about his vision he just had earlier. Where is it? When is it? And the most important thing is who is she? A lot of questions appeared in Hope's mind. This isn't his first time seeing this vision, there are countless of times that he even forgotten when's the last time he ever had one. But Hope kinda denied that 'vision' of his and assumed it as an imagination. But if the scene are being replayed over and over again, then there is no way it would be just a normal imagination. But Hope just ignored it and continue his daily activities.

He took his toast and munched it. There isn't anything interesting in the news, what attracted Hope is that the weather forecast shows that it will be sunny for the past few days. Her mother smiled, "Well, it's good to see that the weis going to be sunny around cocoon for a few days! Let's use it ti count our blessing."

As soon as Hope finished her toast, he slipped on his black bag and head towards the door. "Mother, i'm going to school!"

"Oh!" Her mother stopped wiping the dining table and waved at Hope, "Take care!"

Hope never wanted to transfer, even though it was for his own good. He's not good at making friends for so long. He recieved a text from his old friend, Arthur. He was so lucky that his friend Arthur also attend that school. He could have Arthur to guide them around the school. 'Hey Hope, can't tou go a little bit more fatser!? I'm tired of waiting!"'

Hope replied 'Yes, i'm on my way.'

Before even know it, he arrived already at the school. The school's building are big and and the school grohnds are wide. Many smart and elegant looking students came here. Well, this is an elite, polite school, you have to keep your attitudes correctly. Hope sighed, "Why am i living a life like this? It's okay if i jsut stay in that academy, i'm still a stranger here..."

When Hope isn't looking, someone had pushed Hope to the wall. He bumped the wall in the face. He rubbed hus forehead, "Ouch..."

"Oh, there's anyone there?"

It was a gang of girls with shorter skirts and thicker make ups. She has a black ponytail and icy blue eyes, she glared at Hope and twirled her hair, "It's normal though, he's a new student here."

"What's your problem!?"

Hope yelled. But those bunch of girls just snickered at Hope. The snicker makes Hope feel hesitated. He knew all the time that he'll never fit in. But he's strong enough to fight back... For a while...

"I was pushing you to keep you out of the way. "She turned back and gave an evil smile, "What's a little boy in this elite academy anyway?"

"I'm not a little boy!" Hope confirmed, "I skipped my grade and ended up here!"

But they just laughed.

Hope felt irritated and pushed her back. He's not the type of boy who will lose that easily, not to a girl. Even so, that poor boy are having problems to hold the pain much longer, even Hope has his own limits. That girl's mouth opened wide open. She looked so angry that she was breathing very heavy. She took a step in front of Hope and flipped her hair, "How dare you!?"

"Why do you dot that!?"

"Ooh, he's dead!"

"Nobody dares to do thatto Onee-san!"

"Is he out of his mind?"

This is what hope is thinking: Why bother? Hope isn't going to let a girl to bully him... Not if he's strong enough.

"Stop!"

This certain girl ran to Hope. She was running so fast that she tripped down and fell right in the middle of them. She had her underwear visible that Hope blushed a bit and looked away. She standed up and pointed her hand at that mean girl, "Alexis! That's not nice to a little boy!"

That word insulted Hope. Mentally and physically.

"That's none of your business." She glared at the girl. The fight had attracted attention of many people, but none of them even bothered to help or do a thing. It's only this brave girl. She grabbed Hope's hand and dragged him with her into the academy. She grinned at Hope, "Come on, let's go!"

Her smile is shining so bright, it was an unforgettable moment for Hope. This is the first time a girl had smiled on him like this other than his mother. No, not even his mother stand a chance. Her shiny orange hair pigtails are blowing magnificently and her emerald eyes are just so beautiful. Hope never seen such a pretty girl in her life.

Untill he felt something. He felt like this before, and he's very sure he's not dreaming. It was some day that someone had dragged him like this, but he couldn't remember anything more further. What could it be?

_"Hope, let's play together."_

He widened his eyes. This sensation just felt familiar.

The girl stopped running and let Hope's hand go. The girl and Hope panted. "Phew! I'm glad we managed to escape from that crazy girl! You're okay, right?"

"Umm... Yes..."

"You must be new in here!" The girl beamed a smile. She handed Hope her hand, "My name is Vanille Dia, i'm a student here! What's your name?"

He nervously took her hand and shaked it. Hope couldn't take his eyes off Vanille, she was so dazzling. Her appearance shows how innocent, childish, and airhead she is in a good way, and that's what makes her attractive. Hope slowly muttered, "Umm... My name is Hope Estheim, i skipped my grades and transferred here..."

"Really? That's amazing!" Vanille cheered.

"It's not that amazing."

"It is!" She argued, "I bet you're very smart, and you must be a lot smarter than i do Hocchan!"

_"Hocchan!"_

"... Hocchan?" Hope narrowed his eyes. It was awkward that time, Vanille had blurted out something that she shouldn't have said. But that name recalled something from Hope's memory. Vanille blushed, "I'm sorry! It's just that I love making up cute names for people so..."

She played with her finger. Hope didn't answer.

"Oops! Look at the time!" Vanille nervously laughed and checked her wrist... Pretending to have a wrist watch, "I have to go, bye!" And ran away. Hope stood there, silent. Who's that girl and why does she seemed so familiar?

The students around him whispered to each other about Hope and Vanille just now. They were pretty sure Hope couldn't hear what they said, but they have no idea their voices are crystal clear. Hope silently listened as they whispered.

"Hey, did you just see that?"

"Yes! That new student talked to Vanille-senpai!"

"That lucky bastard, no one other than her closest friends have a chance..."

"I envy him..."

When he listened, he couldn't believe what he heard. _Senpai? Can that clumsy girl manage yo be a senpai?_ But Hope screwed his negative thoughts about Vanille. He knew he shouldn't have judge people on how they look. "Oh well..." Hope shruged and then walked away.

_xoxoxoxoxoxo- 5 minutes after the first bell rings... -oxoxoxoxoxoxox_

When the teacher goes into the classroom, the students became silent and faced the teacher with no emotions. The students in this elite school are taught to be discipline in front of the teacher. The afro teacher coughed and looked in front of him, "Good morning everyone."

The class greeted back.

"Today, we shall have ourselves a new transfer student. What so special with this new transfer student is that he had skipped grades while he's still 14 years old!" The teacher said, as the little chocobo on the top of his head squealed "Kweh!" Loudly and jumped excitedly. Hope blushed. He's embarassed to introduce himself in front of the class, along with thet teacher's praise.

He pointed at the door, "Now, please come in mister transfer student!" That word minda made some of the students... Giggled...

Hope peeked inside and walked to the teacher like a nervous wreck. His rade face are totally visible. It can't be helped, he was dying of embaressment! When he face the class, his face turned even more red. The teacher said, "Please introduce yourself young man! Don't be so shy!"

"Uh... Ah..."

Hope trembled, "M-my name is Hope Estheim, I-I skipped a few of my grades and transferred here... N-nice to meet you..." And when Hope finished his sentence, everyone in the classroom had a slight thought: He's so cute!

"Know you can sit next to that orange girl!" The teacher pointed at this orange girl. Everyone else laughed at his joke, but this orange girl stood uo and yelled, "Hey! I thought Sazh-sensei stopped calling me that!"

"I never did."

"Humph!" Vanille crossed her arms. She hadn't noticed who's the trandfer student, untill then...

"Huh?"

Both of them finally noticed.

That orange girl is Vanille.

"It's Hoccha-"

But Vanille didn't finished her words. She didn't want to humiliate herself for the second time already. The teacher, Sazh narrowed his eyes and look at bot Hope and Vanille. "Do both of you know wpeach other?"

Both of them didn't answer.

"Then Vanille, why don't you show Hope around school at lunch time?"

But someone stood up, "It's okay Sazh-sensei, i'll do it." It was this boy with blonde hair and glasses. He fixed his glasses and smiled at Hope, "I actuallyk ow Hope better, aren't I?" Hope noticed. He is and old friend of Hope, his name is Arthur. Hope screamed-whispere, "Arthur!"

"Fine Arthur, lead the way." Sazh sighed. And silently muttered, "You gay bastard."

Hope took his seat beside Vanille and a big window, where a main character of an anime usually sit to stare at the beautiful view. Vanille poked Hope and whispered, "Sorry about earlier."

But he didn't reply. In fact, he noriced something worse. Someone also poked him from his back with a sharp pencil that kinda startled Hope a bit. He creeped a bit witha slight thought in his mind: This isn't going to be good. But he still looked behind him anyway... Although he wished he didn't.

It was the girl from earlier with this evil smile. She whispered, "Welcome to hell on cocoon."

Hope turned away and freezed. Instead of listening to Sazh with the topics, he stared at the big window like a p main character of anime always do when they have lots of thing in his or her mind. Hope sighed and played with his pencil as he stared at the window. But he surely knew that school is going to be a mix of heaven and hell...


	2. When the gay leads the tour

**HI! Chapter 22 is up! I really appreciate the review, even though it's just a question ^^" Thanks for the follow and favorite! I'll try my best to l the very end! Anyway, to Storspeaker, senpai is like a senior. You know a senior, right? Like, your senior in your highschool... different from junior! I hope that answers your question.**

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In lunch time, Hope put his books in his backpack. Of course he noticed that mean girl from earlier , whispering from faraway to her friend, giggling hysterically while glaring at Hope. It seems like she really hated Hope, and Hope couldn't figure out why. Arthur walked to him and give him a smile, "So, you ready?"

Hope pulled a fruit bar from his pocket and openedit, "Yes."

Arthur took Hope's hand and dragged him down the hall. Every student around them gasped and whispered to each other, like they're a celebrity or something. Hopelifely got a chance to take a bite, "Arthur! Slowdown a bit!"

"Oh?" Arthur stopped. "I'm sorry, it's just that... you know?"

"..." Hope just stod there as he nommed his fruit bar with this pity look on his face. "Change that habit of yours, won't you?" with a mouthfull of food. Arthur cheered, "Thanks Hope!" And when he's about to hug him, Hope dodged it, which makes Arthur fell on the floor. The thing that makes Arthur 'unique' is the fact that he's gay. Everyone knows this rumor too exept the principal. Hope changed the topic, "So... where are we heading anyway?"

"To the toilet!"

"..."

"Just kidding!" Arthur laughed nervously. "We're heading to the caffeteria!"

Hope munched his fruit bar bit by bit as he followed Arthur. The students around them looked so elegant and pretty. They looked smart as well, and that makes Hope worry. He don't want to disappoint his parents, for a bad grade, he have to study hard. After a few minutes of endless walking, they finally made it into the caffeteria. The caffeteria is fulk of students that leaves no empty seat. Now Hope knows why Arthur dragged him, he want to get an empty seat. He bite his last bar and tossed it into the rubbish bin. The smell of the caffeteria makes him hungry again, but he wants to save his money.

Arthur took a tray from the headlunch lady and went to Hope. "Hope, aren't you going to eat?"

"Nah, i already have one."

"Okay..."

Luckily, there are still a few empty seat in the corner. Hope pointed at it and suggested Arthur to sit there before anyone does. Arthur agreed and both of them went straight to the empty seat. Arthur put his tray on the table as both of them sat down. Artur ate his broccoli and said, "Let me finish this first, and then we'll begin our tour, okay?"

"Fine..."

He gazed around the caffeteria. The floor is clean, the headlunch lady seemed nice, the smell is good, everything has its own good quality, no wonder this elite academy has a lot of intellegent students. Furthermore, the students ate their lunch with good manners and they ate their lunch quietly. Hope is amazed by their attitude and likes to learn from them.

On the other side of the corner, Hope noticed a girl, sitting there while eating her lunch alone. He quickly regcodnized the girl. It was the girl who hbyped him when hes 'bullied' by this shameless, vain girl gang. Hope poked Arthur, "Hey Arthur, why is she sitting in the corner?"

"Hmm?" Arthur glanced at the girl, "Oh, you mean Vanille? She's always like that ever since she attend thus school. You see, she never bother to make any friends, neither anyone to be her friend." Arthur said with a mouthfull of food. Hope looked at Vanille in pity, how can a cute, cheerfull girl like her have no friends? He wanted to go there, but Arthur already finished his lunch.

"Already? Well that was fast."

"I told you so!" Arthur laughed aloud.

"Then..."

"That's right! Let's continue our tour!" Arthur cheered as he fastly put gave his tray to the headlunch lady, ran straight to Hope and dragged him outside. As he dragged out, Vanille looked at them from faraway, and so do Hope. They still gaze at each other untill Hope is out. He really wished that he could be her friend so that she dont have to be all alone. Hope took a pity on her and planned to talk to her next time they met.

"Wait!"

Someone halted both of them. It was the mean girl from earlier, "Our business isn't done yet Mr. Hope Estheim!"

"What did i do wrong!?"

"That looks of yours..." She make a fist, "... Is so digusting!"

"Huh?" Hope touched his face, "What's wrong with my face?" Arthur hugged Hope and yelled at her, "Don't insult My Hope, he's as cute as a doll!"

"MY Hope!?" Hope yelled back.

"Go away you gay freak!' She kicked Arthur's leg and pushed him away from Hope. She laughed evilly, "It seems like i haven't introduced myself yet, haven't I? Well, my name is Alexis Roxaline, and you shall not forget it!" But Hope is too busy helping Arthur to get up that he might not hear what Alexis said earlier. Alexis growled and took a step towards Hope, "Hey! Listen to me!"

"Why would I? I didn't do anything wrong! So what's your problem!?"

"I don't have problem with YOU, i'm just pissed that WHY do you have that kind of appearance!?" Alexis said as she blushed a bit. "Kinda reminds me of..."

"What?"

"Like hell that's your business!" Alexis growled.

"Alexis!" A familiar voice called, "How many times do i have to tell you NOT to bully him!?" It was Vanille. She slipped between ahope and Alexis and protected Hope, "It's not good you know!" But Alexis chukled and flared at Vanille, "You only said that once, and now twice!"

"It doesn't matter!"

"Don't try to be a shameless hero, Vanille!" Alexis yelled at Vanille, "Besides, I don't even think that Hope needs a hero!"

Hooe and Arthur just watched both of them argue about Hope. Arthur whispered, "Hope, now's the time, let's sneak away.." but he didn't answer. He's just wondering that it's not even Vanille's business, why did she even bother to help him? Arthur poked Hope, "Hope? Hope! Snap out of it buddy!" It's not that Hope didn't listen to him, he just don't bother to answer him.

"I'm tired arguing with you Vanille!" Alexis yelled. "Why did you even care about him anyway!? You just met him this morning!"

"Because he's not him!"

That word made Alexis fell silent. She couldn't fight back. The truth is that Hope reminds him of a certain someone. The thing is nobody knows who, exept Vanille and Alexis herself. She blushed a bit, "It's none of your business Vanille! And don't you ever think you know everything about me!"

"What's going on here?"

A straight voice called. Everyone exept Hope freezed. Hope has no idea why they suddenly freezed and stay silent. More importantly, WHO is it? She sounded like a girl, but she's so manly. The voice came from the hallway. Everyone don't have the might to see who, everyone exept Hope knows who that is. Hope looked at the hall and expect the principal was walking. But she doesn't looked like the principal neither the teacher. Instead, its just a normal student with pink curly hair and blue eyes, walking towards them. Finally, everyone have the might to look. They slowly muttered.

"P-president..."

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**End of chapter 2! I'm sorry if this is a crapoy one, the start of this story is a 'bit' complicated and cinfusing, but i'll try my best to make the storyline more obvious in each chapter. So the reason why Alexis bullies Hope is almost revealed, and from the president's appearance, i guess you already know who... Anyway, i'll try my best to write a longer chapter in the next chapter! See you around!**


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